The week before that saw the 39-year-old shoot a career-worst 82 in the second round of the Phoenix Open during a display that included a host of basic short game errors.

However, the Augusta Chronicle’s report of a plane matching the tail numbers of Tiger Woods’ Gulfstream G5 will be well received by golf fans globally, who have been fearing the worst since the former world number one withdrew after 11 holes at Torrey Pines on February 5th.

A week later Woods announced he was taking a leave of absence to work on his game, saying: “My play, and scores, are not acceptable for tournament golf. I enter a tournament to compete at the highest level, and when I think I’m ready, I’ll be back.”

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It now looks like the time has come, though we may not know for sure until his tee time next Thursday, which is the last possible moment Woods can tell officials whether he is playing or not.

If Woods does make the first tee next week, it will be his first competitive round in two months. Woods fans needn’t worry too much though, as the last time he took a long break before a major, five months in 2010 before The Masters, he went on to finish tied fourth.

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